


This Little Cub

by theshymuffin



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Fluff without Plot, i only wanted my space fam happy, one shot (for now)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-22 11:56:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17059337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theshymuffin/pseuds/theshymuffin
Summary: Space Dad and Space Mom have four sleepy lion cubs to look after. Full of fluff and family cute.





	1. Waffles and Sharks

_7:04 AM_

Caffeine is the only cure. Shiro stumbles across kitchen tile and relies on pure instinct to find his way to the coffee maker. He wakes enough to smile, because the scent wasn't merely a dream. There's a fresh pot, made just for him. Through bleary eyes he gets out his Dad Is Rad mug and fills it to the brim.

When Allura floats in, he's downed his first cup and is well on his way to finishing seconds. Her cloud of hair is still damp from a shower, and the scent of coconut shampoo practically radiates from her aura, all packaged in pink and light washed jeans. Her dark slender arms find their way around her hubby's waist. “How many?”

Shiro swallows the last swig from his mug. “That makes two.”

“Mmm. Safe for cuddles then.” She relaxes, pooling into him and savors the chisel of his muscular frame and softness of his baggy tee against her cheek. “Never safe before you've finished your first.”

“Are you calling me cranky?” He wraps an arm around her to let her know not only is she welcome, he's not sure he wants her to ever leave. She smiles up at him, knowing in her eyes. “The kids still down?”

The sparkle, the sun in her fades a bit, revealing tiredness as she nods. “Try and keep them quiet when they wake up? Pidge was positively nocturnal last night.”

“Anything for my princess.” Shiro spares a kiss to the curve of her temple before he pours another cup of caffeination. “It's the least I can do for the woman who makes me coffee.”

 

_7:55 AM_

Shiro ducks his head to avoid the space mobile of colorful suns and planets, and squints down at the little lumps still curled in their bed. The ears of red, blue, and yellow lion onesies peak above their covers. He finds it highly suspect that they've yet to rouse, and concludes they must have stayed up past their bedtime last night. As delicious as a hushed Saturday morning at home would be, they won't be tired at bedtime if they sleep til noontime, and Papa lion knows from experience getting them to sleep when they're not tired is as painful as spending a day without coffee (not that he's ever suffered through the latter, he just knows deep in his soul).

He sinks down on the edge of the bed, and lays a gentle hand on tiny shoulders curled under a red onesie. “Hey, bud. Time for all my little cubs to wake up.” Keith snuggles into his touch, and his little arms curl tighter around his stuffed hippo. “Mama's going to make waffles for breakfast. If you don't get up, I'll just have to eat all of them myself.”

This perks up yellow cub's ears. “Really, Papa?”

“Yup.”

Hunk rolls over and makes his way out of the sheets, rather ungracefully crawling over Lance in the process.

A squeak comes out from under the hood of the blue onesie. “I'm being crrruuushed!”

Keith growls in response to the scream in his ears, and wiggles his way away from Lance into Shiro's arms. “Mmmph.”

Lance sits up, sandy hair mussed and eyes glinting with a look as dark as his dad's coffee. “Why didn't you wake me up first? Then I wouldn't have gotten crushed, and Hunk wouldn't have gotten to the waffles before me.”

“Don't worry, they're not made yet. There'll be plenty.” Shiro pats the kid in his lap, who seems to have fallen right back into a deep slumber. “Hey, Keith, wake up. The sun's out.”

“The sun is always out in space,” he mumbles into Shiro's shirt.

“We're not in space, Keith.”

Lance inches closer, cautious of a grumpy, sleep deprived Keith. “Hey. If you get up we can play ships before breakfast.”

A single, violet eye flutters open. “Okay.”

 

_8:16 AM_

Keith hugs his plastic space ship to his chest, eyes wide, and dark hair a nest under the hood of his onesie. “You always shoot my ships down.”

Lance has an equally tight grip on his own shuttle, because he knows his playmate tends to grab things when he gets angry. Grab them and _throw them._ “That's how I win.”

Keith's sugary lips pooch. “Why can't we ever be on the same team? Then we can both win.”

“Because rivals aren't never on the same team, dummy.” At this, Lance goes back to his ships, arranging them in a formation in the shag of the navy carpet in their bedroom. It's easy to pretend the glitter his mom spilt on “accident” were stars in the blue. He seems to believe the matter of who is on who's team and why is all settled.

Keith doesn't see it that way. “Why are we rivals?”

“Hunk's my best friend, so I need you to be my best something, Keef.”

Upon inspection, Keith decides he does want to be Lance's best something. And being rivals isn't so bad. Not when it means they get to play together.

It's while Keith reaches this revelation that Lance pauses from zooming his ship through the air, and sticks a hand into his mouth. Blue eyes saucers, he retrieves a freshly fallen out tooth. “Keef, look! I lost my first tooth!”

 

_8:31 AM_

Allura is proud of all her children. They'll each touch the stars someday, she swears. This particular occasion, she's proud to have a young baking prodigy at her side. Despite the mess, eggshells, flour, and half licked spoons of waffle batter that accumulates around them. Hunk stirs the mix with both hands on the spatula, round face full of determination. He'll be distracted in a moment, but for now it's adorable and lasts just long enough for her to slip out her phone to snap a picture.

It's then she becomes aware of the sound of running water. She takes out a pair of waffles from the iron and hefts Hunk off the counter, leaving the spatula behind. “Just a moment, dear.” He trails behind her, curious why she's rushing so fast to the bathroom.

Water slides under the door and pools on the hardwood. The doorknob turns easily, and she flings it open to watch as Lance balances himself on the sink, turning the tap on, in addition to the overflowing tub. Her mouth drops, and her socks soak up the water running past her ankles.

“Lance!”

“Mama!”

She snaps out of her shock and lunges for the bathtub to turn it off and tug open the drain. “What on Earth are you doing?”

Lance drops off the sink counter with a splash and lowers the hood of his sopping onesie. “My tooth came out, Mama!” He offers it out to her, a huge grin on his freckled face, as if this good news alone could make her forget the disaster surrounding them. “Look, I cleaned off all the blood before I showed it to you so you wouldn't be grossed out like Keef was.”

Allura takes him by the other hand and leads him out of the bathroom into the hall, where Hunk has been watching silently. “Why did you need to overflow the bath to clean your tooth!?”

“Oh.” His eyes inspect the mess he made, as if proud. “The blood made me think of sharks, and I wanted a pet shark, and I thought the blood would make the shark come. But if it came it wouldn't have water to live in, so I turned the bathroom into a sqaurium for it to live in.” His smile falters. “Are you mad, Mama? I forgot to ask if it's alright with you and Papa if I have a pet shark.” Lance tugs lightly at her hand. “I promise not to let it eat Keef.”

Allura inhales deeply before answering. “Baby, look–”

“ALLURA.” Shiro's voice trails from the kitchen, and she runs through the hall in her wet socks, afraid she's left the waffles burning. “ALLURA, KEITH GOT INTO THE KNIFE DRAWER AGAIN HELP.”

 

_9:46 AM_

“OW.” Keith slams his fork against the table. “Papa, Lance pulled my hair again.”

“Because it's too long.” Lance shoves another mouthful of waffles and syrup into his mouth.

“It is not! And now my hair is sticky.”

Shiro sighs, then turns away from the dishes in the sink to give them a level look. “Boys, cut it out.”

“Can I cut Keef's hair?”

“No.”

“NO,” Shiro says, _much_ less calm than Keith. “There's nothing wrong with his hair.”

Lance just rolls his eyes, and wipes his sticky hands on his fresh tee. When he changed into dry clothes he'd insisted on wearing Hunk's shirt with a shark on it. Shiro knows the incident with the tub will hardly be the last they'll hear of his wish for an aquatic pet with fifteen rows of teeth.

“I'm going to go see if Mama needs help, OK?” Shiro lays down his dishrag. “No more syrup, and no more pulling hair while I'm gone.”

“Yes, Papa,” they echo.

Shiro leaves the boys to their waffles and heads down the hall. His socks slip a little on the freshly mopped surface. A slosh bounces against the white walls of the bathroom when his wife sets a fresh bucket on the tile. He pauses in the doorway and leans against the trim to watch as she wrings out the mop. “How's it going?”

“I've get the floor mostly dry.” She blows at a snowy strand that falls from the bun piled on her head into her eyes. “Just thought I'd mop while it's out. Kids fed?”

“All except Pidge. Haven't heard a peep out of her all morning.”

She maneuvers the mop around the toilet then against the cabinet under the sink. “I should check on her.”

Smelling the lingering scent of citrus from the cleaner on her, he draws closer. “Nope. I'll do it.” He comes near enough to plant a kiss on top of her head. “Don't worry about Pidge. You were up with her last night, I can handle her breakfast.”

The mopping slows, and Allura follows him as he pulls back, stretching on the balls of her feet to reach up and meet his lips. “Mmm. You're my hero.” She doesn't stop until she has him pinned against the closet door. Several sweet and breathless kisses follow.

Shiro nuzzles into her neck to tickle her with butterfly kisses. “I should go take care of Pidge.”

“Did you talk to Keith about the knife?”

“Sharp objects in general, actually. Should we be concerned?”

She threads fingers through his hair and sighs. “He'll grow out of it. I hope.”

“Just like Lance will grow out of wanting a shark for a pet?”

“I think we'll just have to accept that one.” Allura giggles. “We still love him, yeah?”

Shiro slides away from her grasp and offers a smile back. “We'll have to.”

She dips her mop back into the bucket and shakes her head. “Being a mom is tough.”

“Good thing I married a woman who can kick parenting's butt.”

“Hm.” She bats her dark eyelashes. “Too bad I married a flatterer.”

“Hey!”

 

_9:52 AM_

A single waffle sits in the middle of the table. It's safe to say three hungry boys are eyeing it. Hunk glances at his emptied polka dotted plate, still honeyed with the remains of syrup, then looks back at the last waffle. “You can have it, Lance.” Because while Hunk loves waffles, he knows Lance loves them even more. Because that's what best friends do.

Keith crosses his arms without a word, knowing he's had more than Lance, _technically_ but that won't keep him from sulking about it.

“Thanks, Hunk.” Lance leans forward, most of his body stretched over the tabletop to reach his prize. He sits back down, and fiddles with the butter knife to lather it up. He slows as the syrup drizzles over the top, and his eyes wander over to Keith. “Hey, Keef?”

“You can't cut my hair.” He looks stubbornly to the side and forcefully tugs his red hood over his head, as if to protect his locks. “Papa said there's nothing wrong with it.”

“I know.”

“Then what?”

“Wanna split it with me? You can have half.”

“. . . Really?” Keith peeks out of his onesie. “You want to share?”

“Yeah. I'm pretty sure it's something best rivals do.”

 

_9:55 AM_

Shiro briefly wishes for armor, before deciding ear plugs would be more valuable. Pidge didn't respond so well to being woken up. He now holds a nine month old at arms length to avoid the scratching and hissing. With the green ears, someone could mistake her for a feisty, mutated cat.

“Pidge,” Shiro tries.

“AaaaAAAAAHHHH.”

He winces. There's no way Allura hasn't heard. She has enough on her plate without having to cover for him. He pulls Pidge closer, to cradle her against his chest. This seems to calm her a bit, as she stops swinging her arms around. “Hey, there.” Shiro sways a bit, and this pulls her hazel eyes up to his face. “Baby mine,” he sings softly. “Don't you cry.”

Pidge blinks, and her open mouth slowly draws closed.

“Rest your head close to my heart.” He draws his arms around her and gives her a gentle smile as he settles on the bed. “Never to part, baby of mine.”

The bedroom door creaks open, and soft yellow ears and big brown eyes poke in. Hunk trails closer, lion tail dragging across the floor, and stops at his Papa's side. For a moment he just listens to the singing, standing at the edge with his elbows propped against the comforter. Eventually he crawls up, and the bundle of yellow curls into Shiro's side.

It isn't long before two more come drifting in, more hesitant to join the group or receive this form of affection. This quickly melts, and smiles grow on their faces, and light beams from their round eyes.

Now Shiro has all four of his cubs cuddling against him, and it warms him inside. “But you're so precious to me, sweet as can be, babies of mine.”

 

_11:11 AM_

Mopping the the floors turns to vacuuming the various carpets (she forgot about the glitter spilt in the boy's room until now) and all the plush furniture in the living space, and finishing up dishes from breakfast, and scrubbing off the sink and counter, and over an hour passes before she becomes aware of the silence that's settled over the apartment. In fact, she hasn't seen the boys since they finished their waffles.

Curious, and putting a lot of effort into _not_ worrying that they've gotten up to something that will put the bathtub incident to shame, she does a check of each room to make sure everything is in order. It's when she peeks into her and Shiro's bedroom that she discovers what everyone's gotten up to. While she's been cleaning house, it seems everyone else has been napping.

She can't find it in her to be anything but awed by the sweetness of the scene. They've made a nest of their queen size bed, lion hoodies and shark tee all snuggled up against their Papa lion. Allura crosses the room to lower into the bed herself, and presses lazy kisses to each of their foreheads.

As she reaches her husband, his eyes flutter open, sleep hazed. “Hey.”

“Hi, there,” she whispers back.

“Come here often?”

“Shh.” She drifts into the mattress, and tangles her arms around Hunk to reach Shiro's waist. “Don't wake them.”

His head cranes up to take in his surroundings, and he rests a hand on Pidge's sleeping form on top of him. “Oh. So that's why there's a weight on my chest.” He gives her a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep.”

“That's alright. It is a Saturday morning.”

“I was supposed to help you, and you wanted me to check the garbage disposal today. . .” He quiets when he realizes her eyes have drifted shut, and her breathing is slowly evening. “Princess?”

“Sleeping beauty.”

“So particular.”

“Pink _and_ blue.”

“I love you.”

“If you love me let me sleep.”

“As you wish.”

Their hands find each other, and their fingers thread together as a wave of sleep washes over them. In their last moments of consciousness, they both know there isn't anywhere else in the universe they'd rather be.

 


	2. Kleenex and Pet Rocks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more fluff to keep ya floatin'  
> keep shining, my little stars xoxo

_5:38 PM_

“Babe, if I could go anywhere in the universe I'd go to you.”

“Shiro?” Even though he can't see it through a phone call, Allura can't help but smirk. “You're stuck in traffic. Aren't you?”

“I've resorted to singing the Altean alphabet.”

“You sound busy,” she says, in a voice smooth as cream. “Maybe we should talk later.”

“No! No, please, don't hang up.”

She shuts the lid of her laptop, all productive thought eaten alive by fuzzy thoughts and greedy butterflies. “You're so needy.”

“Babe, talk to me. How was your day? How's your hair look? Did you finish that project for work?”

“Power point done, absolutely fabulous, and so terribly dull. Except for Keith. He came home early with a fever.” She swivels around in the chair away from the desk, cozy socks trailing along the faded floorboards. “I've already given him medicine but he made me promise you'd make him his favorite soup when you get in. But, if you like, I'll make it and tell him you did.”

“That's alright. You won't do it right.”

“. . . Excuse me?”

“Oh, look a green light!”

“Don't you _dare_ and hang up.”

Shiro went on to make faux static. “You're cutting out, babe.”

“Takashi!” Allura rouses from her seat at the sound of the doorbell. Likely Hunk back from his playdate.

“Kershkrrrk.”

It's at this point she reaches the door to the apartment, and her attention falls to thanking Honerva for dropping Hunk off. She's helpless and Shiro's hopeless. The call ends. With a subtle eye roll, she tucks her cell into her back pocket.

“Have a good evening,” Honerva offers with a smile.

“Uh, yes. Thank you again.” Allura's hand drifts to rest on her son's shoulder. This only prompts a minimal wave from him, before he slips away into the kitchen. Her sharp eyes follow him, quick to catch the glum look on his face, before they snap back to the woman at the door. “Well, we'll see you, then.”

“See you next week.” With that, Honerva is off.

Allura closes the door, and merely observes as Hunk retrieves a cookie from the cookie jar, porcelain and shaped like a mouse. He pauses, and holds up the treat. “Is it okay, Mama?”

“Hm.” Allura crosses her arms and leans against the doorframe, head tilted. “You know Papa will be home and we'll eat supper soon.”

He ducks his head in defeat, and dark hair falls in his eyes. “I know.”

“Well, as long as it's just one.” As she throws out her arms, she knows she's such a softie. She can't help but be when her children are so precious. “You may have it for the price of a hug.”

This lights up his face. “Thanks.” He rushes into her previously offered embrace, and tackles her at the waist. She can only marvel a split moment at how tall he's getting before the momentum tips her backward and she has to cling onto the molding to steady herself. “You're the best, Mama.”

“You're very welcome, hon.” Allura regains her balance enough to shift both arms around him, then runs a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it. “Did you have fun at Lotor's house?” At this, he stiffens. “What? What is it?”

“I don't wanna go back.”

Allura takes him by the shoulders and holds him back so she can look him in the eye. “What happened?”

“He made fun of my pet.” His big brown gaze drops to the floor, and his eyebrows pull together. “Then he tried to take it away, but I wouldn't let him, because he used to have a pet lizard but he killed it. I don't think he's very good at nurturing.”

Surprise is just an emotion that comes with the job. With being a mom. Her children endlessly catch her off guard, and one would think she'd get used to it. Allura blinks, unpacking everything. “Uhm. Well. I'm sorry, sweetie. He shouldn't have treated you that way.” Her fingers rifle through his hair once more. “. . . You have a pet?”

The twinkle returns to his eyes. “Yeah! Want to meet her?”

“I'd like that very much, sweetheart,” she says patiently. Something tells her not to panic _quite_ yet. Instead she watches curiously as Hunk reaches into his pants pocket and rummages around a bit before bringing out something smooth and round. Not an insect, or a turtle. It's a. . .

“A rock?”

Hunk nods, and offers it out for a better look. “Her name is Shay.”

“Well. I think you're right,” she says gently. “Shay seems like the sort of pet that needs a lot of nurturing.” Allura lifts a finger to run over the smoothed surface, almost like glass, the size of a kiwi fruit. “I'm glad she has you to look after her.”

Something decidedly proud shines in his face, and when he speaks up, her heart melts. “I learned how to nurture from you, Mama.”

 

_6:13 PM_

Warmth seeps through the red mug into Shiro's hands, at least the one that isn't prosthetic. He takes care not to spill as he opens the door to the boys' room and makes his way across the navy carpet. Only a single frame lay curled up in the bed, with sheets draped over his shoulders and tangled around his feet. He managed to kick the comforter more than half down the mattress. As Shiro sinks down beside him, he slides a hand under inky tangled hair to feel for Keith's fever.

The touch wakes him, and sleepy, hazy eyes stare up at him. “Papa?” His voice is coarse, worn down and croaky from sick and sleep.

“Hey, bud.” Shiro adjusts the spoon settled in the mug. “I made you soup.”

With some effort, Keith manages to sit up. His gaze stays on the warm, soothing broth, and they both catch the agreeable rumble that comes from his tummy. “Thank you.” His pale, slender hands take hold of it. They're quiet as he takes a small taste, then proceeds to take a good spoonful and another. Keith pauses after that, dark brows furrowing. “Papa, is my hair going to turn white?”

Shiro restrains a chuckle. “Why would your hair turn white?”

“Because I'm sick.” He lowers the mug to rest in his lap, at the crook of his knee. “Some of your hair turned white when you got sick.”

Instinctively, almost a self conscious response, Shiro's hand travels to the shock of white. “Oh.” He forces the hand away and gives Keith a gentle smile. “Well I'm pretty sure I was sick with something different than what you caught. You'll be just fine.”

“Yeah,” Keith says, his voice still rough. “And even if it does turn white, it's okay, because you and Mama both have white hair.”

“That's right, bud.” Shiro can't help but reach out and pull him closer. “But remember what Mama and I told you? That you don't have to look like us to be our son? We love all of you.”

The smile is discrete, but Shiro still catches the curve of Keith's lips. He braves through his hoarse throat, because nothing could have kept him from saying what was in his heart. “We all love you too.”

 

_8:02 PM_

The living room is lit with the golden glow of fairy lights and blue screen light. After much debate, the boys finally agreed to watch The Force Awakens. Keith is thoroughly bundled in his Kylo Ren fleece blanket, and Shiro settles on the floor, back braced against the sofa while he sorts through the laundry hamper, folding little onesies and tees and colorful socks with dinosaurs and space shuttles printed on. Occasionally he'll come across his own tees, fit for a giant compared to the little cub clothes, or one of Allura's pink and lace unmentionables. He unearths his long pair of navy socks that Lance frequently likes to wear over his hands and call himself the “socktapus”.

In the lull that follows the opening crawl and orchestral theme, the sound of the bath running trickles down the hall. Shiro's gaze darts over to Lance, assured that he's contently snuggled on the sofa and not out to flood the bath again. As he folds the octopus socks, he briefly entertains the idea of getting Lance a pet fish for his birthday, or perhaps Christmas. Allura won't be as easily swayed, though. Perhaps sometime when he catches her in a wonderful mood, he'll broach the “no pets” subject.

“Papa.” Hunk leans forward over the edge of the sofa, tugging gently at Shiro's sleeve. “Can I have a sock as a bed for Shay?”

“What kind of bed does she like? Fluffy? Striped?”

“LOOK.” Lance bursts forward, a finger pointed to the screen. “There's Keef!”

Each head swivels up to watch as Kylo Ren stalks down the ramp of his ship.

Keith lets out a pathetic cough. “M'not.”

“And there's Poe, the real hero.” Lance jabs Keith in the side, seeming unaware of his brother's feverish misery. He only offers a weak glare from under the shadow of his blanket. “That's _me.”_

“What about me and Shay?” Hunk tucks his little rock into the safe, cozy bundle of one of Allura's socks. “Are we heroes too?”

“Uh, sure. You can be Finn,” Lance supplies. “And Shay can be BB-8, I guess.”

Allura pops in to grab a fresh towel for Pidge, who is dripping all over the front of her pink sweatshirt. The youngest of their family sports a wild mohawk, her coppery and freshly shampooed hair easily coifed up. Her mother continues to dry her as she lowers into the couch cushion alongside Shiro and next to Keith. Her husband drapes an arm on her knee, and is rewarded with a quick kiss.

“Everything alright out here?” she asks.

Lance shoves at Keith to get closer, his eyes wide. “Hey, Pidge can be Rey!”

Allura's eyes widen a fraction. “What's going on?”

Shiro tips his head back to give her a mischievous glance. “Oh, nothing much. We just have next year's Halloween costumes picked out for the family.”

Keith huffs, before getting sick of Lance pushing at him. His arms snake from underneath his cocoon to shove him back into his own spot. “Shut up, Lance, I can't hear the movie.”

“Lance,” Allura sits Pidge up in her lap. “Stop pushing. Keith, that's no way to speak to your brother.”

Both boys hang their heads.

Lance is the first to peek over, his attention drawn from the movie for a moment to look at his brother. “Hey, Keef?” When there is no response, he goes on. “We don't hafta watch Star Wars. We can watch something where you win and I lose.”

Snuffles follow, as Keith clears his sinuses. “S'better than the little mermaid. . .”

And with that, the family settles in to watch the rest of the film in relative peace. Pidge is the first to fall, swiftly followed by Hunk then Keith. Soft snores rise out of Shiro, and one by one they all succumb to the lure of sleep. The third act has yet to start when Mama and Papa begin to herd sleep hazed, eye rubbing children into pjs and shortly after their beds.

The last light sends a warm glow along the hall as Allura and Shiro walk hand in hand, in search of their own soft, warm covers. The space around them is quiet, and strange, like magic in a way that perhaps they only imagine. But as the space between them closes, nuzzles and kisses sending butterflies from their bellies to their toes, the light switch _clicks_ and the starried night carries them all into slumbers full of blissful dreams.

 


End file.
